[4lpha]

Hoping I can get some insight from the audio gurus here.


Here's my current setup:


Samsung 50" 650 plasma (3 HDMI in back and one on side)

PS3 connected to HDMI on back

HD DVR connected to HDMI on back

Xbox 360 connected to component on back


All of the above sources feed audio via toslink to a set of Logitech Z-5500. So far I'm pretty content with this setup. Upgrading to a dedicated receiver with independent speakers/sub is something I want to do but not in the immediate future since this meets my needs for now and in all honestly sounds pretty damn good. However the control unit for the sound system has only one optical input which usually means I have to manually switch the cable to feed to the unit depending on what I'm doing. While this is not a huge issue, I would rather not have to do that.


I found somewhere here an "automatic" toslink switcher that switches based on the current output. However, it looks boxy and if more than one source were to be on (which would be the case since I'll be feeding optical to it directly from the cable box) it means I would have to get up and press the buttons since it doesn't have IR input. So that's out of the question.


It looks like I would have to buy an HDMI switcher with toslink inputs such as this: http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....=1157067584966 - However, like I said earlier, I have all the HDMI inputs I need right now and since I do want to upgrade my sound to a dedicated receiver later on, I don't want to spend a lot of money on this considering all I need this is to give me more optical sound inputs.


Any advice in my particular case?

 

[ljiminez]



Quote:
Originally Posted by 4lpha /forum/post/15411512



It looks like I would have to buy an HDMI switcher with toslink inputs such as this: http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....=1157067584966 - However, like I said earlier, I have all the HDMI inputs I need right now and since I do want to upgrade my sound to a dedicated receiver later on, I don't want to spend a lot of money on this considering all I need this is to give me more optical sound inputs.


Any advice in my particular case?

Checkout the DA4X-R.
http://www.inday.com/index.html


Nez

 

[scarecrow420]

Im in a similar situation... In our bedroom setup we have a Samsung HTIB which is adequate for our needs except that it only has a single optical input. I am running a BluRay player, Satellite PayTV box, TV's inbuilt HD tuner and XBox with XBMC which can all use optical if i had the inputs for it.


I have been trying to find a 3 or 4 input toslink switcher with an IR remote so i can control it with my harmony. I can only find manual switchers, or expensive (ie over $100) switch boxes that also do component video or HDMI etc. I really woulda thought someone would make a simple toslink switcher for say under $50 bux that simply switches toslink inputs and nothing else! I have found several that do component video and coax digital audio, but not toslink...


it's further complicated because im in Australia, so most things overseas either wont post it here, or would be exorbitantly expensive. However at this point I havent even been able to FIND a suitable unit, let alone worry about how to get it here


It's crazy but it'd almost be better for me to buy a cheap receiver with multiple toslink inputs! But id really rather a small switch box, as I said it's a bedroom setup so i dont want a big receiver or anything in there, and what we currently have is more than adequate, apart from the lack of optical inputs


The item suggested above at least does what we want, though the price is higher than I have seen some switchers that do toslink AND HDMI!



edit:


I did just stumble across this one which is the cheapest ive seen so far

composite svideo and optical switcher, 3 inputs 1 output and around $40 USD
http://www.shoptronics.com/sopswdiauvis.html


There is also this one, component video and toslink, 3 in 1 out, for $58 USD
http://www.uniqueproductsonline.com/coviandtosww.html


And actually, shoptronics has a component, analog audio and toslink 32 in 1 out model as well, for $50USD
http://www.shoptronics.com/hdrecovisose.html


So i guess there are a couple of good options for you over there.


Locally in Oz the best option ive found is a 4 in 2 out toslink only, which is ~ $120AUD. Probably the one i would go for if i was going to spend that much, since it's got 4 inputs rather than 3
http://www.mgram.com.au/product_info...oducts_id=1953


It would be great if i could find some local ones similar to the 1st 2 i posted though... around $50 would be sweet!

 

[jdubau55]

I had a similar problem at my old apartment. Not enough optical inputs. I found a manual switch at Radio Shack for way cheap, like $10. Had 4 in and 1 out. Just turn the knob to which input you wanted to use. Sure beat the hell out of having to reach behind the tv and plug and unplug different sources optical cables.


Much like this....

http://www.amazon.com/Nyrius-SW100-D.../dp/B000812QC6


I think $20 was the original price at Radio Shack but it was clearanced.

 

[scarecrow420]

Yeah there are a fair few manual switch options, but I need an IR remote so it can be seamlessly switched by my Harmony. No way my girlfriend will be OK with having to go over to the equipment and manually switch something, when she is used to using the harmony to "Watch TV" or "Watch DVD" etc. In my case, i have one device hooked up with optical and the rest with analog. I dont swap things in and out of the single optical input, but I want to get a toslink switcher so I can improve things to use digital rather than analog connections. I can see that if someone was manually plugging in/out optical cables anyway, those manual switches would be an improvement on that

 

[Cattledog]



Quote:
Originally Posted by scarecrow420 /forum/post/15470515


No way my girlfriend will be OK with having to go over to the equipment and manually switch something, when she is used to using the harmony to "Watch TV" or "Watch DVD" etc.

And I thought it was just American women who were technophobes!